SPRINGFIELD — Penn National Gaming affirmed on Thursday that it has set a goal of hiring 90 percent of its workforce from Springfield if licensed to build a casino here, saying its goal is “lofty” but necessary given the local needs for jobs and revitalization.

MGM Resorts International, competing for a casino in Springfield, said in response that gaming “is a regional economic development initiative.... and that will include sharing job opportunities with our neighboring communities.”

MGM has established a goal of hiring 35 percent of its workforce from Springfield, and 90 percent from a combination of Springfield and the region.

Eric Schippers, a spokesman for Penn National, said the company plans to have approximately 2,400 jobs at its Springfield casino, and the company is committed to the goal of filling at least 90 percent of those jobs with Springfield residents. The goal was first publicly revealed at a Tuesday presentation at City Hall and was formally detailed in a press release on Thursday.

“We recognize that this is a lofty goal, but we believe it is important to set the bar high to try to maximize job opportunities for the residents of Springfield," Schippers said. “Our plan is about the revitalization of Springfield and that is not only from an economic development opportunity but from a job creation opportunity.”

Penn National is proposing a casino in the North End of the downtown district, while MGM Resorts is proposing a casino in the South End. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will grant one casino license in Western Massachusetts, with competing projects also proposed in Palmer and West Springfield.

In January, Penn National in response to the city’s Request for Proposals, stated that its goal was to hire 90 percent of its workforce from Springfield and surrounding communities. That goal narrowed to Springfield residents after meeting with various community groups in Springfield, Schippers said.

Penn National stated it will use the following strategies to pursue its goal:

conduct small job fairs for Springfield residents to educate them about the new casino, the employment opportunities, and the skills that are needed

work closely with the local workforce development boards

form strong working relationships with local government officials, employment groups, and charities to help them with recruiting local employees

work closely with the consortium of community colleges lead by Springfield Technical Community College, and conduct specialized training sessions

and work with labor union partners to provide the proper training for local residents so they can be hired to work during the construction phase of the project.

Penn stated that if it is unable to reach its goal of filling 90 percent of its casino jobs with Springfield residents, “only then in consultation with the city, would the company explore surrounding communities.”

This is the first 90 percent goal set by the company for hiring just from the host city, Schippers said.

However, Penn did set a 90 percent goal of hiring from the “local market” area in building casinos in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio, and met those goals, Schippers said. The market area meant the host community and some surrounding communities, he said.

MGM said it wants to “win the Western Massachusetts gaming license for Springfield, not win Springfield and lose the license.”

“MGM wants to add new jobs and bring new employees into the workforce without cannibalizing the existing hospitality, dining and retail sectors," MGM Springfield spokeswoman Carole Brennan said.

"Long a leader in diverse and aggressively-local hiring practices, MGM already has a strong hiring network in place that includes FutureWorks, higher education institutions, workforce development boards, and our union friends," Brennan said.

In addition, the company has attended career fairs and offered training tips alongside experts on jobs in Springfield, Brennan said.

A free “Career and Vendor Showcase” is scheduled March 19-20 at the MassMutual Center, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Springfield residents interested in career opportunities will be educated on the types of jobs that will be available at MGM Springfield, Brennan said.

Penn National has “a record of working with local community colleges, workforce development boards and other community organizations such as the NAACP, YMCA’s and veterans organizations to attract and train local workers for our facilities,” Schippers said.

J. William Ward, president and chief executive officer of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, declined to comment specifically on his reaction to Penn’s 90 percent local hiring goal.

“The casinos are free to present any information that they deem is accurate to the general public,” Ward said. “That information that they present should be based on a sound assessment of the labor pool, and its ability to meet its needs.

The Regional Employment Board will be taking on role as a clearinghouse of all information related to the workforce development aspects of the chosen casino, Ward said. How the casinos present information now to the community about their approaches “is an open and free process and we do not want to interfere with that,” he said.

“We as a board will be convening community organizations and the community colleges and other interested parties to ensure that there is a wide range of input from community groups that are involved in education and training and community development activities,” Ward said, adding the board will work with the casino company chosen.